Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-04-09

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he sounded three hoarse blasts on the brake-whste
10 which the guards promptly responded by apply
ing their brakes with all their strength. IL was
grand sightI The magnificent engine, full OF life
and glowing with color. came tearing along at the
very top OF her speed; then suddenly the majestic
stream OF white cloud, which had been gracefully
sailing in her wake, disappeared and she sif her
wheels mad all at once been paralyzed, began 10
culver Ike thing in fear. cloud OF dust arose
| the rails over which the wheels were now rolling
unwillingy, or not at all, while the guards vans
fectly sim, immovabiy skidded and scattering, as
II IN indignant protest, q simmer Of sparks
though the thick black dust which was rising
| from the ground below them.
THANK God! Its done!' breathed Granard to
himself, as he fell rather than stepped from his
elevated position. For a moment he sat on the
ground, lot ne could not stand; every limb was
trembling and every nerve quivering; though until
the signal had been seen he had known no lack OF
ed tb OF muscle But now that his task was done
once exhausted and PROSTATE. He saw that the
.rain mad stopped, and that the guards were conf
Ing PACK 10 him. He shook himself together and
walked unsteadily toward them. HIS throat was
700 parched 10 speak. but he pointed forward To-
ward tne cutting, and passed forward 10 the en-
can Then he found voice to say .sThe Scud's come
TO grief They all stood aghast, scared at the
news. The driver was the first to speak.
rs she OF the road, sir?"
Yes, rather! Complete wreck! Right across
nosh roads! In the cutting there in front OF you,
Just under the bridget"
He started. ANY one killed SIR"
sure 10 DC. saw one or the engine men lying
dead with his head nearly Knocked of; but re-
and ran on as fast as / could" They expressed
their great gratitude, and one Of them produced
Poenetr5ooS In which ne asked Granard to write
engine and drove slowly up 10 the scene OF the
disaster
What a sight met their eyes, The framing Of
the leading guards van was lying nearly square
across the two lines, two Of the three pairs OF
wheels torn from under It; the upper part
nh hnOn OF CnU nyAy oNSf n
luggage scattered some nifty yards farther back.
few portmanteauS were tightly pinned to the
o the van sna py pair q the
tated amongst them. The carriage next the van
was on the rails and partly twisted round but
stu upright. The next carrtaGe-that in which
Granard had ridden-was turned more than half
way over, and under t lay one Of the heavy engine
forgings, known as the boyle frame, doubtless the
cause or the overthrow the other carriages though
all damaged more or less, had not been derailed.
The eng1ne-or. rather, what remained OF her
been the frss to leave the rails, and had plunged
for some distance along the heavy longitudinal
timbers on which the Fails were laid, until II had
point the train behind had literally kicked 1t out
OF the way, pr0pellng it with great violence half
May up she 0pe ,S ang sSn when nad
wheels and their frames had been torn from the
body and hurled away in different directions, one
described, and causing the abrupt stoppage Of the
train.
The wreck Itself was sad spectacle; but one
SUI! more sad was the sight of the poor driver
lying on the ground near the engine, screaming
with pain, and evidently dying. The poor fellows
stomach was torn and exposed to an extent which
clearly showed those who were holding him that
his case was hopeless Before long his cries ceased
and his dead body was quietly laid under rail-
way rug beside that OF his fireman, whose death
had been instantaneous.
on returning TO the scene of the disaster
Granard looked about him TO see what service he
could render. Almost the first person he noticed
was his fellow passenger the bridegroom, who
was apparently searching the different compart-
ments Tor something or another. On being asked
how his Vile was he replied that She felt very bad
and SO did he. Granard found that he had left
his poor little wife sitting ON the ground Just
cur 1t, probably caused by her husbands hat
brim, and she was feeling very sick and faint. He
helped the little woman up the steep slope and
into Held on the other side OF the railway fence
where she found cooler place, in the shade of q
hedge, TO rest at till arrangements were made for
continuing the journey. Then, on returning into
her way along by the wreck, looking rather con-
iusedly here and there and apparently alone.
Gan help you in any way?' he asked. raising
his hat to her as he stopped.
''Oh, thank you very much. I'm sure don't
know" she replied, frankly. Il am looking for
my luggage"
.Allow me, then, to show you the most likely
place TO find it at. Most OF the luggage got scat
tered about ttc line some distance behind"
AS they walked back She told him she was trav-
cling alone, and was on her way to her home in
Barcastle or which place her father was the rector
She had but one box-a large tin one, with curved
engine Granard found a piece OF tin crumpled up
Ike crushed sheet OF brown paper. which he saw
had been 4 box.1d, as torn hinge was hanging
from one edge Of 1t. He turned IL over to see the
color.
was your box painted like that!" he asked Of
his companion.
'Yes, just that color; but 1t was a large box, y
she answered.
''oh, this was a good-sized lid once he re-
marked. as he placed 1t across rail and endeav-
ored TO stamp IT into shape with his heel "the box
it came on Is probably not far away" They
presently found the body o; the box, standing the
right side up, and with the contents undiSturbed
with the exception OF the top layers, which had
been whisked on with the cover
AS cry o. s0rrowInl recognition escaped his
at last found her own. She dropped beside the
bulged and battered trunk and attempted, almost
more. Granard watched her with ever-growine
admiration. He thought he had never seen a face
full Of strength, and yet refined and feminine
every feature seemed eloquent OF high and noble
qualities. 1t was face which filed bis mind with
ardent thOughtS-more OF ch1yalry than l0ve--and
made him regret that the events OF the day had
not given him chance Of serving her In more
brilliant manner than that OF simply guiding her
10 her luggage.
'I'm sure 1 don't know how my poor box will
travel. She remarked. wistfuliy, when she had
gathered most OF her belongings together
would it not be better to abandon It and make
'you would be less likely to lose anything and the
box Is too much damaged to be ever used again. ,
She approved OF this idea, and soon, with tweed
waterproof cloak and a large shawl as wrappers
they bad made up the whole Of her thingsinto two
large bundles.
After handing in various kilograms, and procur-
Ing refreshments for Miss Righton and himself.
Granard conducted her to the train about to leave
PraedstOl for Barcastle and babe her adieu as his
OWL destination was on another branch.
What perfect time 4. had been! How splen-
didly she had borne herself! They had talked ON
al sorts and kinds OF topics, and she had fasci-
mated him on all in turn; by her deep religious
thankfuineSS FOR their preservation In the recent
catastrophe, no less than by her exquisite sense OF
humor at their resulting condition.; by her EVIL
IDENTIFY welstored mind, no less than by her frank
desire for Information on every subject about
which She CHANGED TO be. ignorant. No wonder
that in the weeks that followed his mind was
tlled with thoughts OF her than Of the terri
bic disaster or the day! No wonder he priced the
letters he soon received from both her parents and
from herself more than he did the complimentary
letter he got from the railway directors expressing
their thanks for his services and asking his ac-
ceptance OF handsome check. MI. and Mrs.
them soon as he could make 1t convenient to do
SO, and about three months after the eventfuI
July day Granard found himself pacing the Praed-
stol platform, impattenty waiting for the Barcas-
tie train 10 run In.
Presently he felt his hand warmly grasped and
had his arm half shaken on by an excited nervous
looking man, perfect stranger TO him.
"Goo-goo-goo-good m-m-m-m-morn1ng, SIR he
Stammered.
''Good morning. But I'm afraid you are mis-
taking me for some one else, for don't know you
said Granard
..Oh, yes you d-d-d-do.r he exclaimed excitedly.
"t6e accident-the accident, you know
"Oh, TO be sure! l remember you now. said
Granard, recognizing hts quondan fellow rayeler
Tue wretched bridegroom.